help choosing epoxy and primer

[angeleyes69]

Have a 14x24 inground pool with concrete bottom and walls of unknown plastic type removed the linning and want to convert to epoxy. Need help choosing the right epoxy and primer that will be compatible with the different materials the pool has. Also what should I do with the gaps between the side panels? Can I fill them with silicone and then coat with epoxy? Also it has a drain in the bottom is there a plug that can be removed i could find no drain pipe and it was getting dark once I got the water drained so I could not really look further. There is still water seeping in from the ground and I assume i have to wait until it is done before I epoxy it. Makes common sense. This pool is for a motel a friend works at so I want to get everything done correctly.i have more questions but will search threads and save them for a late later time. Any help would be much appreciated thans in advance!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You can’t convert a liner pool by simply painting it. The walls cannot be made water tight simply by filling the gaps as they will begin to leak once the water pressure/force is high enough. The walls are intended to support the load of the water weight when a liner is attached to the track, not hold the water in. As well, the base might be vermiculite which is a porous type of cement designed to allow water to infiltrate it in areas where the water table is near the surface. If the pool had a liner previously, then the only option is to get a new liner, sized correctly and installed.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

You can’t convert a liner pool by simply painting it. The walls cannot be made water tight simply by filling the gaps as they will begin to leak once the water pressure/force is high enough. The walls are intended to support the load of the water weight when a liner is attached to the track, not hold the water in. As well, the base might be vermiculite which is a porous type of cement designed to all water to infiltrate it in areas where the water table is near the surface. If the pool had a liner previously, then the only option is to get a new liner, sized correctly and installed.

I’ve seen it attempted, it was amusing to say the least... well amusing & empty.

 

[angeleyes69]

After removing the linner my thought was to put a new one in as its not what I expected under the liner. I expected all concrete not the panels. And you are probably right about the vermiculite as it was soft feeling not very thick and when I was cutting out the liner i slipped with the knife once and hit the bottom and it left a cut. I told the owner of the motel he was going to have to put a liner back in it. I came up with like a 500 quote for the epoxy method and first liner i priced was almost 900.00. I searched another site and think i can still get the liner for the 500 quote on materials. He still wants the epoxy though. I will now show him your response and get him to get the liner. Are there any recommendations on where to get them cheap? Thank you for your help with this

 

[domct203]

After removing the linner my thought was to put a new one in as its not what I expected under the liner. I expected all concrete not the panels. And you are probably right about the vermiculite as it was soft feeling not very thick and when I was cutting out the liner i slipped with the knife once and hit the bottom and it left a cut. I told the owner of the motel he was going to have to put a liner back in it. I searched another site and think i can still get the liner for the 500 quote on materials. He still wants the epoxy though. I will now show him your response and get him to get the liner. Are there any recommendations on where to get them cheap? Thank you for your help with this

I would recommend you walk away from this if the owner insists on not replacing the liner. As already stated, the pool structure is designed to support a liner filled with water, not the direct forces of all that water weight. Pool structure failures can be quite catastrophic, and people can get hurt or much worse.

Repair the pool as it was designed or walk away.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

With all due respect, OP you are out of your “depth” on this one..

 

[angeleyes69]

i had pretty much decided not to epoxy before posting here i just wanted another opinion . i thought i had also posted a reply regarding cheap places to get liners but for some reason posting from my phone has not working out for me. so if anyone knows good websites to purchase liners cheap please post the link for me. would be nice to get one under 400.00

- - - Updated - - -

originally when i took on the job i was exspecting to find all concrete under the liner and that is why i mentioned the epoxy to the owner. however after finding the panels under the liner i told owner that we were going to have to buy a new liner. he still wanted the epoxy which is why i posted here for a second opinion before going through with epoxy. i got pretty much the results and answers i exspected thank you all for your posts to guide me on this. anyone know a cheap site to get liners from?

- - - Updated - - -

thank you for verifying what i had already thought after removing the liner. i sent owner a screenshot of your reply and i now need to find a cheap place to get a liner

 

[angeleyes69]

The guy who had been serving this pool for a few years seen it was being worked on and came complaining about his contact and ended up installing a new liner at a cost of 2,000.00 this same guy is the one that failed to come out and service the pool which is why I began the work. Anyway I had found a liner for 530.00 which looks exactly like the one he put in. In 2 hrs the guy had the liner in and water level up to the steps and left.he didn't replace any of the gaskets, or the burnt out light bulb and the pool still seems to be leaking and has to be filled once or twice a week. Aside from that the pump only circulating half of the time and the basket connected to it will not fill up when trying to get the pump going. The owners don't speak very good English and don't understand how the legal process involved in dealing with the contract situation and after over paying are reluctant to pay any more money to him to service the pool. So that is the background story so hopefully everyone reading this gets the picture of what is going on. I would like to be able to straighten out the pump issue as I don't think it is anything major and I am going to do it free. I read a post on here about pump priming a couple days ago and someone posted a reply regarding gravity and the water just going back into the pool as the pool is lower than filter ect., I rubbed the gasket as he said it can draw air which made no difference. Anyone have any idea what needs to be done? I know no one likes to read long posts like this has turned out so I'm going to stop for now and and wait for questions or comments before I add anything else. Thanks for your help

 

[jimmythegreek]

angeleyes I see your trying to get a little bizness going and Id like to offer you some advice. The guy whos charging 2k for the liner is charging the right price, and actually cheap in the pool world. Nothing wrong with getting work I hope you have some type of bizness and insurance you never know what will come bite you in the tail in pool work and dont work for nothing for anybody. nothing wrong with giving good prices to ppl but dont work for free or cut yourself short, and if you have to watch youtube videos of how to prime a pump you need a little more experience b4 you take on that type of work, electric and water can kill ppl

 

[angeleyes69]

I have some experience with above ground pools as an ex of mine for a few years had one. I'm also not trying to make any business of this my sister has worked at the motel for a few years and benefits from her and her kids swimming in the pool and my kid also. And the pool guy they have is not a professional company. Also I have been in the pool since he put the liner in and he failed to fill in a couple of the holes in the bottom of the pool which is going to gaurante the liner will fail and have even more leakage than it does now. Also you mentioned the pump and electricution... He failed to replace the liggt bulb and the housing it is in is half full of water which is not only one of the leaks but also a shock hazard if someone turned on the power to it. I have informed owners of this and we put a lock on the panel but who knows what can happen a year or so down the road.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I would not let my kids or anyone swim in a pool like what you have described. If the lights are in such disrepair as you describe then that pool is hazard to anyone swimming in it regardless of the lock put on the breaker panel. Something can (and usually does) go wrong and someone could die as a result of the motel owners willful negligence. If someone were to get hurt from the light in that pool, the owner could be personally held liable in both criminal and civil court.

It goes without saying that you should walk away from having anything to do with that pool or else you could also face legal troubles. You should also tell your sister to keep herself and her kids out of that pool for their own safety. I realize that you are trying to do the right thing and be helpful but you are exposing yourself to unnecessary risk (both physical and legal) by engaging with this motel owner. Either he fixes the pool properly and to code or the pool is shutdown. Anything else is simple negligence.

 

[kimkats]

This thread has been closed. There is nothing else that can be said to change the fact this is an unsafe pool.